National Estuary Program

 

The National Estuary Program (NEP) goal is to protect and restore the water quality and estuarine resources of estuaries and associated watersheds designated by the EPA Administrator as estuaries of national significance. The 28 estuaries of national significance, or NEPs, use an ecosystem-based management approach to help achieve their protection and restoration goals. For example, each NEP characterizes the priority problems in its estuary and surrounding watershed, develops a long-term plan known as a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) that identifies actions to address those problems, and identifies partners, including lead entities, who will implement those actions. Implementation of CCMPs can include the following actions: protecting and restoring habitat, including wetlands; supporting water quality protection and restoration, including Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan implementation; monitoring for, assessing the extent of toxics loadings and pathogen contamination, and taking steps to address excess loadings and contamination; implementing stormwater management, reducing non-point source pollution impacts, and promoting the adoption of green infrastructure approaches; preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and/or managing their impacts; developing and implementing nutrient reduction strategies; conducting climate vulnerability assessments and developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies and using adaptation tools to promote coastal resilience; and developing and implementing strategies to provide opportunities for residents of urban minority and/or under-served communities to have greater access to urban waters, participate in urban ecosystem restoration, and participate in capacity-building/educational activities. In addition to CCMP implementation, NEPs and other eligible recipients, address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. NEP projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA, Public Law 117-58), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), should seek to: accelerate and more extensively implement CCMPs, ensure that benefits reach disadvantaged communities, build the adaptive capacity of ecosystems and communities to climate change, and leverage additional resources, including from other IIJA programs. After approval of each estuary programs equity strategy, EPA will waive non-federal cost-share requirements for FY 2024 FY 2026 IIJA funds. The purpose of the equity strategy is to ensure that each NEP is reviewing potential projects and utilization of IIJA funds through the lens of equitable and fair access to the benefits from environmental programs for all individuals. The equity strategy should outline how IIJA funds will be utilized to increase investments in disadvantaged communities and the benefits that flow to them. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2023: EPA's funding priority is to award assistance agreements that support the 28 National Estuary Programs' (NEPs) efforts to address their estuarine watersheds' priority problems identified in each of the 28 long-term management plans known as Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). EPA will provide focused support for NEPs to address priority problems identified by NEP management conferences and to document accomplishments and environmental results. NEP efforts address such problems as: (1) impacts on estuarine water quality and living resources of nutrients, toxics (chemical, heavy metals), pathogen contamination, and sediment attributable to excess loadings and non-point stormwater runoff; e.g., excess nutrient loadings can result in nutrient over-enrichment and hypoxic conditions in estuarine water bodies; (2) habitat loss/degradation; (3) risks to CCMP implementation due to climate change impacts, and adaptation strategies to build regional, local, and tribal officials' capacity to address climate change impacts on NEP watersheds, and to promote community resilience. Activities that build capacity include conducting vulnerability assessments and developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies and programs; and 4) need for decision makers in estuarine communities to implement sustainable land use, green infrastructure, and low-impact development best practices. In FY 2023, EPA also funded through the NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant an intermediary organization to fund subawards that support projects that address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal and estuarine areas.

Active 66.456 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 In FY 16, grants will support the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring up to 100,000 acres of estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target stormwater, excess nutrients, and pathogens and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or implementing climate adaptation strategies in over 50% of NEP study areas and collaborating with other EPA programs and with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build regional, local, and tribal coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to reach out to and involve urban community residents who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration. Maintaining high-quality habitat is one way of ensuring the health of the nation's estuaries. Since 2000, the NEPs and their partners have protected and restored over 1.5 million acres of habitat in the 28 NEP estuarine watersheds. The acreage protected and restored by the NEPs and their partners enhances the 28 NEP's capacity to support healthy populations of wildlife and near-coastal and marine organisms, including many commercially-valuable shellfish and finfish. That acreage also enhances the 28 estuarine watersheds' capacity to support the economic and ecosystem services and aesthetic qualities provided by estuarine environments and on which coastal populations depend for their livelihoods and well-being. In FY 16, the NEPs and their partners protected and restored approximately 111,584 acres of estuarine habitat in their estuarine watersheds.
Fiscal Year 2017 In FY 17, grants supported the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring up to100,000 acres of estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target excess nutrients and pathogens, and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or implementing climate adaptation strategies in over 50% of NEP study areas and collaborating with other EPA programs and with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build regional and local coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to reach out to and involve urban community residents who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration.
Fiscal Year 2018 In FY 18, grants supported the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring up to 100,000 acres of estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target excess nutrients and pathogens, and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or implementing climate adaptation strategies in NEP study areas, and collaborating with other EPA programs and with other Federal, State, and local agencies, business, and non-governmental organizations to build regional, state, and local coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to reach out to and involve urban community residents who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration.
Fiscal Year 2022 FY 2022 grants supported the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring up to 100,000 acres of estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target excess nutrients and pathogens, and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies, and collaborating with other EPA programs and with other Federal, State, and local agencies, business, and non-governmental organizations to build regional, state, and local coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to engage with disadvantaged communities who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in water body protection and restoration. In addition to CCMP implementation, NEPs and other eligible recipients, address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas.
Fiscal Year 2023 FY 2023 grants will continue to support the NEP's CCMP implementation by funding NEP efforts that include: protecting and restoring estuarine habitat; protecting and restoring estuarine water quality in NEP study areas; supporting core Clean Water Act programs like those that target excess nutrients and pathogens, and promoting adoption of green infrastructure approaches to reduce the impacts of stormwater and non-point source pollution; conducting vulnerability assessments and/or developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies, and collaborating with other EPA programs and with other Federal, State, and local agencies, business, and non-governmental organizations to build regional, state, and local coastal community resilience to impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, public health, and economies; building local capacity to engage with disadvantaged communities who typically may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in water body protection and restoration. In addition to CCMP implementation, NEPs and other eligible recipients, address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. Clean Water Act Section 320 & Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) Assistance agreements are issued only to those estuaries designated by the Administrator. The Administrator is authorized to make grants to State, interstate, and regional water pollution control agencies and entities; State coastal zone management agencies; interstate agencies; and other public and private nonprofit agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals (Section 320(g)(l)). Profit making organizations are not eligible for grants. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Anyone/General Public. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is required. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). Preapplication assistance may be obtained from the appropriate EPA Regional Office. Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement. For noncompetitive base funding, all work plans should be developed in response to the priority tasks identified in the management conference annual work plan. Work plans should also be developed in response to negotiated schedules for commitments to meet the purpose of a management conference outlined in the Act for the estuary. Each work plan will be considered by the appropriate management conference and the EPA Regional program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. Each application is reviewed by EPA Regional Offices to determine the adequacy of the application under grant regulations and National Estuary Program objectives, including technical merit and relevance of the project. Awards are issued by the EPA Regional Offices after approval by the appropriate Division Director. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant. Contact the headquarters (or regional office, as appropriate) for application deadlines. For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the competitive announcement. From 90 to 120 days. Approximately 90 days after deadline for application submission. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. Not applicable. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement. Clean Water Act Section 320 authorizes issuance of assistance agreements used to meet requirements to develop and implement CCMPs. Annual workplans, which address priority actions in the CCMPs, lay out projects to be undertaken during the fiscal year. They are developed and approved by each management conference. Twenty-eight estuaries have been designated as estuaries of national significance; those 28 are: Long Island Sound Study, Puget Sound Partnership, Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program, Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, San Francisco Estuary Partnership, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Peconic Estuary Program, San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership, Barnegat Bay Partnership, Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Morro Bay National Estuary Program, and Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership. NEPs and their partners carry out such actions as: (1) protecting and restoring habitat; (2) identifying research needs and conducting research as needed to obtain new data to address priority problems; (3) monitoring estuarine conditions to detect changes in water quality and condition of ecosystem resources; and (4) providing technical assistance to States and local communities to address impacts from nutrient over-enrichment, stormwater, sedimentation, toxics, pathogens, and aquatic invasive species; to assess vulnerability from climate change impacts; and to develop climate change adaptation strategies and tools. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Geospatial information is information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the earth, or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, GPS, remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial). Additionally, section 320 authorizes issuance of competitive assistance agreements to address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal areas. Issues in coastal areas include: (1) Loss of key habitats resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality such as seagrass, mangroves, tidal and freshwater wetlands, forested wetlands, kelp beds, shellfish beds, and coral reefs; (2) Recurring harmful algae blooms; (3) Unusual or unexplained marine mammal mortalities; (4) Proliferation or invasion of species that limit recreational uses, threaten wastewater systems, or cause other ecosystem damage; (5) Flooding and coastal erosion that may be related to sea level rise, changing precipitation, or salt marsh, seagrass, or wetland degradation or loss; (6) Impacts of nutrients and warmer water temperatures on aquatic life and coastal ecosystems, including low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters; and (7) Contaminants of emerging concern found in coastal and estuarine waters such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics. Performance Reports: Reporting requirements shall be determined at the time of grant award. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200.334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. 50%. Public Law 106-457, which amended Section 320(g) of the Water Quality Act of 1987, limits the amount of grants to 75 percent of the aggregate CCMP development project costs for each estuary program and to 50 percent of the aggregate CCMP implementation project costs for each estuary program, and requires that the nonfederal share be provided from nonfederal sources. The nonfederal share can be contributed by any of the participants in the management conference. Contact the appropriate management conference program office or EPA Regional Office for more information. For the NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant, the applicant must provide a minimum non-federal cost share/match of 25 percent of the total federal funding provided. The IIJA provides authority for the Administrator to waive or reduce the non-federal cost share requirement for IIJA funds.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Assistance agreements are typically funded on a 12-month basis (yearly). Project period may cover up to 36 months, with continuations possible for certain types of projects. For IIJA agreements, funds remain until expended, allowing for extended project time frames when efficient. The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award. NEP REGIONAL COORDINATORS: Region 1, Alicia Grimaldi (Buzzards Bay) (Beaches), Phone: 617-918-1538, Email: grimaldi.alicia@epa.gov; Region 1, Margherita Pryor (Massachusetts Bays) (HQ Liaison), Phone: 617-918-1597, Email: pryor.margherita@epa.gov; Region 1, Leah O'Neill, (Long Island Sound), Phone: 617-918-1633, Email: oneill.leah@epa.gov; Region 1, Ivy Mlsna (Casco Bay), Phone: 617-918-1538; Email: mlsna.ivy@epa.gov; Region 1, Erik Beck (Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership), Phone: 617-918-1606, Email: beck.erik@epa.gov; Region 1, Caitlyn Whittle (Narragansett Bay), Phone: 617-918-1748, Email: whittle.caitlyn@epa.gov; Region 2, Lingard Knutson (New York-New Jersey Harbor), Phone: 212-637-3747, Email: Knutson.Lingard@epa.gov; Region 2, Aimee Boucher (Peconic Bay), Phone: 212-637-3837, Email: boucher.aimee@epa.gov; Region 2, Barbara Spinweber (Barnegat Bay), Phone: 212-637-3812, Email: spinweber.barbara@epa.gov; Region 2, Irene Purdy (Partnership for the Delaware Estuary), Phone: 212-637-3794, Email: purdy.irene@epa.gov; Region 2, Evelyn Huertas (San Juan Bay Estuary Program), Phone: 787-977-5852, Email: huertas.evelyn@epa.gov; Region 3, Megan Mackey (Partnership for the Delaware Estuary), Phone: 215-814-5543, Email: mackey.megan@epa.gov; Region 3, Ferry Akbar Buchanan (Center for Inland Bays), Phone: 215-814-2570, Email: akbarbuchanan.ferry@epa.gov; Region 3, Patrick McGettigan (Maryland Coastal Bays), Phone: 215-814-2916, Email: McGettigan.patrick@epa.gov; Region 4, Christopher Plymale (Mobile Bay), Phone: 404-562-9794, Email: plymale.christopher@epa.gov; Region 4, Felicia Burks (Sarasota, Tampa), Phone: 404-562-9371, Email: burks.felicia@epa.gov; Region 4, Jennifer DiMaio (Indian River Lagoon), Phone: 404-562-9268, Email: diMaio.jennifer@epa.gov; Region 4, Rachel Hart (Albemarle-Pamlico, Coastal and Heartland), Phone: 404-562-9279, Email: hart.rachel@epa.gov; Region 6, Lisa Rickards (Barataria-Terrebonne, Galveston, Coastal Bend Bays), Phone: 214-665-6692, Email: Rickards.Lisa@epa.gov; Region 9, Suzanne Marr (Morro Bay), Phone: 415-972-3468, Email: marr.suzanne@epa.gov; Region 9, Erica Yelensky (Santa Monica Bay), Phone: 415-972-3021, Email: yelensky.erica@epa.gov; Region 9, Luisa Valiela (San Francisco Estuary), Phone: 415-972-3400, Email: valiela.luisa@epa.gov; Region 10, Yvonne Vallette (Tillamook, Lower Columbia), Phone: 503-326-2716, Email: vallette.yvonne@epa.gov; Region 10, Michael Rylko (Puget Sound), Phone: 206-553-4014, Email: rylko.michael@epa.gov Nancy Laurson, NEP Coordinator, Partnership Programs Branch
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code: 4504T)
Washington, DC 20460 USA
laurson.nancy@epa.gov
Phone: 202-566-1247 https://www.epa.gov/nep 68-0108-0-1-304 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$32,547,726.00; FY 23 est $28,537,000.00; FY 24 est $21,636,000.00; FY 21$20,250,000.00; FY 20$20,550,000.00; FY 19$18,800,000.00; FY 18$16,800,000.00; FY 17$17,763,900.00; FY 16$17,915,300.00; - (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$3,639,200.00; FY 23 est $25,476,000.00; FY 24 est $25,476,000.00; FY 21$0.00; - (IIJA Funding) For FY 2022, each of the NEPs received base funding of $750,000 and the NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant total amount is $6,000,000. For FY 23, each of the NEPs are estimated to receive base funding of $850,000. General grant regulations 2 CFR 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards); 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs); 40 CFR Part 35 SubPart P (Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program). Fiscal Year 2016 Assistance agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). Activities associated with CCMP implementation include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) reach out to and build local capacity of urban community residents to participate in estuarine urban waters protection and restoration; those residents may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration. Assistance agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). Activities associated with CCMP implementation include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) reach out to and build local capacity of urban community residents to participate in estuarine urban waters protection and restoration; those residents may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration.
Fiscal Year 2018 Assistance agreements awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP CCMPs. Activities associated with CCMP implementation include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) reach out to and build local capacity of urban community residents to participate in estuarine urban waters protection and restoration; those residents may not have had access to water bodies in NEP study areas nor have been actively engaged in urban water body protection and restoration.
Fiscal Year 2023 Assistance agreements are awarded to states, interstate agencies, academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations to implement NEP CCMPs. Activities associated with CCMP implementation may include those that: (1) protect and restore water quality by conducting monitoring, assessing water quality conditions, implementing best management practices that help restore degraded waters to healthy conditions, and reducing loadings of pollutants like nutrients and toxics to estuarine water bodies; (2) protect and restore habitat and living resources by implementing local stormwater management programs, eradicating invasive species, removing dams that obstruct fish passage, and providing technical assistance on low-impact development practices that reduce sediment loadings to water bodies; (3) conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop and implement climate adaptation strategies; (4) revise CCMPs to reflect new local priorities; (5) develop annual work plans and design and maintain systems to track and report on priority action implementation, deliverables, and environmental results; (6) evaluate and report on CCMP implementation progress and environmental results; and (7) engage and build local capacity of disadvantaged communities to participate in estuarine resource protection and restoration and to access the benefits of estuaries. In FY 2023, EPA has continued to fund through the NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant an intermediary organization to fund subawards that support projects that address urgent and challenging issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of coastal and estuarine areas. Subaward projects will focus on the following priorities: loss of key habitats resulting in significant impacts on fisheries and water quality such as seagrass, mangroves, tidal and freshwater wetlands, forested wetlands, kelp beds, shellfish beds, and coral reefs; recurring harmful algae blooms; unusual or unexplained marine mammal mortalities; proliferation or invasion of species that limit recreational uses, threaten wastewater systems, or cause other ecosystem damages; flooding and coastal erosion that may be related to sea level rise, changing precipitation, or salt marsh, seagrass, or wetland degradation or loss; impacts of nutrients and warmer water temperatures on aquatic life and coastal ecosystems, including low dissolved oxygen conditions in estuarine waters; and contaminants of emerging concern found in coastal and estuarine waters such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics.